No doubt there are many a good sermon written on this that don't even relate to what I'm about to say, but upon reading this once, it came to me that we are the SALT, NOT THE MEAL! A sprinkle of salt gives flavour to THE MEAL. God's truth/the good news is the meal; the Bread of Life/the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, is the meal. We're just the salt, to be sprinkled lightly here and there. Too much salt ruins the meal and makes it uneatable. Add too much salt and the meal will be rejected. In fact, too much salt would make the consumer sick! But a little can enhance the flavour of what is being consumed.
Could you imagine being in the finest restaurant in town, where the world's #1 chef has just prepared a meal to your liking, and just before you're about to eat it, as you sit there with your mouth watering, the waiter tips salt all over it...? Could you imagine the result...?
1 The meal is ruined. 2 The consumer is not happy, and will probably be turned off eating there again. 3 The restaurant's reputation will be tainted when the consumer tells all their friends what a bad experience he had there. 4 The chef will no longer be sought after, as his name is now associated with the tainted reputation of the restaurant.
And you know, it wasn't up to the waiter to salt the meal. Chances are it didn't even need salt. Salt is always best added to a cooked meal by the one consuming it, where they can sprinkle at will. It's the meal the consumer comes for, not the salt or the one delivering the meal to them. The salt just has to be readily available.
Another image I received on reading this verse once, was of someone going for a swim in the ocean. They seek the refreshing waters to cool off their skin. It's the water they want, not the salt. Salt clings to the skin while the water dries, but too much salt on the skin will leave the skin feeling worse than it did prior to entering the waters.
Salt is fine in small doses.
Too much salt ruins a good thing. Too much salt will turn someone's stomach when consumed, not to mention cause health issues. However, the body does benefit from salt; it does need a measure of salt.
Too much salt poured onto someone's flesh can cause great discomfort. Though, salt does have healing powers. When my mum had an ulcer on her foot, and had to have a skin graft because of it, she was told, by the doctor, to put her foot in salt water to help with the healing process.
In other words, there's a balance needed when it comes to salt. Salt is needed, but only as an additive.
Did you know the sea is salty due to the fresh water running into it; fresh water that brings with it minerals from the earth? It's the fresh water that carries the salt to the ocean. I didn't know that until recently. On learning of that, I imagined Jesus pouring out Living Water on the earth and gathering 'salt minerals' along the way, as He moves to 'flood' the earth, gathering the salt in one place - a place of deep waters - where it can be found for the benefit of the 'consumer'.
Fresh water gathers salt minerals and deposits them in deeper waters. Those who desire salt seek it; the salt doesn't seek them. The salt simply does was it's created for; it does not impose itself on anyone - it is used by, and for, the consumer. The salt gives flavour. It exists to benefit.
We are the salt; we are not the meal.
We are the salt; we are not the water.
We are the salt of the earth; we are not the earth.
As for the salt losing its flavour... That gives me the impression that we can, as believers, become bland. And no one will want, nor need, that. Our words, our deeds, our lives, become tasteless - and the world doesn't need that. I reckon this means we need to stay with the Living Water in order not to become bland.
However, if you feel you've become bland, that you have lost your saltiness and feel as though you are no longer good for anything, don't forget God loves a good resurrection, He loves restoration, and with Him, all things are possible. He can make all things new... Don't give up on yourself. As long as there is God, there is always hope. :) xxx